Seed-planter.



Patented Oct. 8, I90].

M. EVERHART.

SEED PLANTER.

(Application filed May 9, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

INVENTO/Y ATTOR/YEYS T a ll! r r &

llllllllllllll "lull"- WITNESSES: @W S M g THE NpRils vzrsfis co,FnoYoumou-wpsumpmm u c No. 684,209. Patented Oct. 8, l90l. M. EVERHART.

SEED PLANTE-R.

(Application filed Kay 9, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A 77'ORNEYS U ITED STATES PATENT Crates.

MARTIN EVERHART, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,209, dated Octobers, 1901. Application filed May i), 1901. Serial No. 59,401. (No model.)

To all whom it ntcty concern/.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN EvERHART, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and Improved Seed-Planter, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

Thisinventionrelatestoaseed-planter which is designed particularly forplanting corn, but which of course is applicable to many other seeds;and the principal feature of the invention resides in the measuring anddropping devices which comprise a wheel mounted on the frame of theplanter and having its periphery running on the ground, the hub andspokes of the wheel being hollow and each of the hollow spokescommunicating at its inner end with the interior of the hub through themedium of a box which contains devices for measuring and uniformlydelivering the grain to the hollow spokes through which it is droppedinto the earth.

This specification is a specific description of one form of theinvention, while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 isa plan viewthereof. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, the seat being indicated by. dottedlines and the outrigger or marker arms being shown broken away. Figs.4:, 5, 6, and 7 are views illustrating the action of one of theseed-measurin g boxes, it being supposed that in these views the boxthere shown is turning around with the wheel in the di rectionsindicated by the arrows in the several views; and Fig. 8 is a section onthe line 8 8 of Fig. 4.

The frame of the planter comprises two forwardly-converging side beams61., joined at their front ends to a tongue 0, and at their rear ends toa cross-beam a ,which last-named beam also constitutes an axle for thetwo rear wheels I) of the machine. As shown best in Fig. 3, thecross-beam a is reinforced and assisted in its function by a similarbeam a arranged at the under'sides of the side beams a. The front of theframe carries a suitable plow c for opening the furrow in which the seedis dropped, and the rear crossbeams a and a carry suitable plows c forclosing the furrow. A seat d should be suitably sustained on the rearcross-beam a for the accommodation of the driver of the machine.Outrigger or marker arms 6 are mount= ed, respectively, at the outerends of the journals of the Wheels 1), the mounting of such arms beingefiected by transverse extensionse at the inner ends of theoutrigger-arms,

which are rockably fitted in the journals of the wheels, so that thearms e may be thrown down to the horizontal positions indicated in Fig.3 or raised up to vertical positions, in which they will lie parallelwith the planes of the wheels I). The outer portions of the arms e areprovided with cords 6 which pass upward and are secured to stanchions orstandards 6 which are fastened to the cross-beam a? inside of the wheelsh and extend upward and thence outward over the wheels. By drawing onthese cords e the outrigger-arms 6 may be raised or lowered as desired,and by properly tying the cords the outrigger-arms may be held in theproper position. These arms e carry each at its outer end a heavy chain6 (See Fig. 1.) The chains are adapted to be dragged along the ground,being held outward from the sides of the machine by the arms, and thechains thus dragged will mark the course of the machine, and it willenable the machine to be operated to plant a new row, which will beproperly spaced from the row already planted. This avoids the necessityof a check-row apparatus or other devices for similar purposes. Thechains 6 may be used together or independently, as desired. It is notabsolutely necessary to employ but one chain at a time; but since thechain must be used at either side of the machine I consider it best toduplicate the chains, as well as the devices for carrying them. Wheneitherone or both of the chains are not in use, thay may be raised withthe arms 6 and hung on the stanchions 0 so as to be out of the way.

A measuring and dropping wheel, with its various appurtenant parts, issupported in a superframe f, the base of which is fastened to the sidebeams to and the upper portion of which carries a suitable windingdevice f,

over which runs a cord or chain f attached to a sliding frame f whichcarries the journals g of the seed-dropping wheel. The journals areslidably fitted in vertical slots f formed in the framef, so as to guidethe wheel and the slide, and the upper portion of the slide is guided ina similar manner by studs f which slide freely in slotsf, formed in theupper part of the framef. By manipulating the winding d evice f theslide f carrying the dropping-wheel, may be raised and lowered, so as toregulate the elevation of the wheel.

The seed-dropping wheel comprises a hollow hub g, to which the journals9 are suitably fastened. This hub is provided with an opening, so thatit may be filled with the seed to be planted, such opening beingcommanded by a closure 9 (See Fig. -1.) Attached to the hub g andextending around the periphery thereof are the boxes or cases 71-, whichcarry the seed-measuring devices, as will be hereinafter described.These boxes 72 respectively communicate with the hollow spokes t of thewheel, and these spokes in turn are fastened to the rim k, which isadapted to run on the ground during the operation of the machine, sothat the wheel will be turned in time with the movement of the machine.The ends of the spokes t are projected through openings in the rim It,so that the seed will pass through clear of the rim, and for thispurpose the rim is constructed with inwardlybent portions k, with whichthe spokes v; are respectively engaged. As the seed-dropping wheel turnsthe grain in the hollow hub g is delivered into the cases or boxes h,and here the grain is subjected to the measuring and dropping deviceswithin these boxes, these devices acting in such a manner as to deliverat uniform periods any desired amount of the seed, according to theadjustment of the apparatus.

X indicates any suitable means for holding in place the outer side wallof the boxes h.

The mechanism within the boxes his best shown in Figs. 4 to 8. As thereillustrated, the boxes are provided at their inner ends with flanges h,which are fastened rigidly to the hub of the wheel. The boxes areprovided with feed-openings 7L2 at their inner ends, which communicatewith the interior of the hub g, and these openings are commanded byclosures 7L3. By means of these closures any one or more of the boxes Itmay be cut out of action-that is to say, by closing the openings 7& ofone of the boxes no seed will be delivered from the hub g into this box,and consequently none will be delivered from the box to the ground. Thisenables me to drop the seed at any desired distance apart. The hollowspokes '1: are projected, respectively, into the outer ends of the boxesand are provided therein with flared or funnelshaped portions 1',serving to receive the seed. The boxes are provided, as shown in Fig. 8,at one side with a stout wall, preferably of wood, (see the left hand ofsaid view,) and at the other side with a thin wall, preferably of metal.In Figs. 4 to 7 this wall (see right hand in Fig. 8) is supposed to bebroken away. Secured rigidly to V the stout wooden wall mentioned aboveare a number of strips of metal or like material, forming passages andcompartments as follows: Directly adjacent to the inlet-opening h of thebox It is a partition m, forming apassage m, passing radially outward toapproximately the middle of the box. outer end of this passage m apractically curved wall m is arranged, which forms .a laterally-turnedextension m at the outer At the f end of the passage m, which extensionturns back and inward toward the hub of the wheel.

and past the side of the partition mopposite the passage m. Thepartition m has a transverse branch 072, which forms a pocket m in theinner end of the box h, such pocket being composed of the branch m ofthe partition m, the inner end of the said partition, and the inner wallof the box h. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the bent or curved partition mnot only forms an extension m of the passage m, but it also constitutesa pocket in which the seed or a part thereof is held during theoperation of the dropping apparatus. An essentially triangular partitionon is fitted against the side of the box it opposite the side at whichthe partition m is located, this partition m forming a ledge againstwhich falls the surplus grain which overflows from the measurer to behereinafter described. The above-named operation of the partition m maybe seen from Fig. 5. The partition is provided at the end adjacent tothe stout wall of the box 72 with an extensionpartition m which leads toa chute-plate 7?," forming practically a part of the flaring portion t"of the hollow spokes i, and this partition m forms a sort of chute orwall, leading the grain from the outer side of the partition 10?. to andinto the funnel 1''. (See Fig. 7.) The partition m is further providedwith a branch m which projects outward from the partition and forms,with the partitionand with the extension 777. thereof, a pocket in whichis received and contained the grain from the measurer, such grain beingthat which is to be dropped into one of the hills planted by themachine. This function of the parts 127.", m and m is shown in Figs. 6and 7. The measurer consists of a tube 721*, located in the outer end ofthe box It alongside of the funnel 2" and having an opening in its innerside, to which opening lead partitions m forming guide-walls. Within thetube m is fitted a follower m, connected with a screw m extendingoutside of the the box h, and by means of which screw the follower m maybe moved to any desired position within the tube m. Now it is clear thataccording to the adjustment of the follower m in the measuring-tube mthe measure will receive more or less seed, and by this means thequantity of seed delivered will be regulated.

Such being the construction of the parts within the boxes h, theoperation of said box and its parts may be traced as follows: Assumingthat the opening 77/ of one of the boxes is open and that such box is inthe position shown in Fig. 4:, a quantity of grain will run into the boxand move through the passage m into the pocket formed at the inner sideof the wall m Assuming that the box is turning in the direction of thearrow, as the box makes a quarter-turn the grain in the pocket m willpass out, thereof and fall upon the inner side of the ledge m (See Fig.5.) As the wheel continues to turn, thus placing the box in the positionshown in Fig. 6, the grain will fall into the pocket formed by thebranch wall m of the partition m. (See Fig. 6.) Then as the box assumesthe position shown in Fig. 7 the grain will still lie in said pocket.When the box returns to the position shown in Fig. at, thus completing asingle revolution, the grain from the pocket m will fall out therefromand will pass between the ledge m and the inner end of the wall m In sopassing the branch m of the wall or partition or will deflect the grainsidewise and cause it all to fall between the guide-walls m and into themeasuringtube 777. The continued revolution of the wheel will cause theparts to assume the position shown in Fig. 5,whereupon certain portionsof the seed will pass out of the measuring-tube m owing to the openingin the side thereof. There will, however, remain in the tube a certainquantity of seed, which may be regulated by the position of the followerm That part of the grain which passes out of the measuring-tube when thebox takes the position shown in Fig. 6 will lie against theouter side ofthe ledge m Then as the wheel continues to turn and the box reaches theposition shown in Fig. 6 the seed which previously remained in themeasuring-tube will fall out of the same and into the pocket formed bythe branches m and m of the wall m at the outer side of said wall. Thecontinued revolution of the wheel will place the box in the positionshown in Fig. 7, whereupon the seed passing from the measuring-tube willfall against the wall m and the chute 2' and then as the box again andfinally assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 the seed lying against thewall on and chute i will pass into the funnel i and out by way of thehollow spoke '5. During this operation the grain which overflowed fromthe measurer when the box assumed the position shown in Fig. 6 will havepassed inward off of the ledge m and back into the pocket on.

The above explanation follows the course of the grain through the box.It should be understood that this operation is going on continuously andthat every compartment and passage'of the box at all times is full ofgrain, and the grain is being steadily measured and delivered,interrupted only by cutting off the box completely, which is effected byclosing the opening h It will be observed that two complete revolutionsof the wheel are necessary to cause the passage of the grain through thebox; but this does not mean that the grain is delivered from the boxonly at every second operation, for when the operation of the machine isonce started there will always be ready a measured quantity of seed tobe dropped in the funnel i.

In connection with the dropping devices it will be seen that theyoperate solely by the gravity of the seed and not by the relativemovements of valves, gearing, and the like. Therefore this part of theapparatus is not subject to wear due to its operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a seed-planter, a measuring and drop pingdevice, comprising a turning box or case having a seed-inlet and aseed-outlet, ameasurer fitted in the box, and walls arranged in the boxadjacent to the measurer and to the seed-outlet, suchwalls forming twopassages respectively conducting the seed overflowing from the measureto a point removed from the seed-outlet, and conducting the seed whichfills the measure from the same in the seed= outlet.

2. A seed measuring and dropping device for planters, comprising aturning box or case with an inlet and outlet,- a seed-meas urer in thebox, and walls or partitions form-' ing two passages, the one forconducting the seed to the measurer and the other for con ducting fromthe measurer to the outlet the seed which is measured in the former.

3. A seed measuring and dropping device for seed-planters, comprising aturning box or case with an inlet and outlet, a measurer in the boxadjacent to the outlet, walls forming a pocket adjacent to the outlet,and adapted to receive the seed from the measurer and deliver it to theoutlet, and a branch wall (such as m such branch wall serving to directthe seed from the measurer to the pocket.

4. A seed measuring and dropping device for seed-planters, comprising aturning box or case with a seed inlet and outlet, a measurer adapted toreceive the seed for measuring the same, and means in the box, suchmeans forming a passage through which as the box turns, the seed isconducted from the measurer to the outlet.

5. A seed measuring and dropping device for seed-planters, comprising abox or case with an outlet and inlet, and walls or partitions therein,said walls or partitions form ing a passage leading from the inlet, apocket at the outer end of said passage, a second pocket at the innerend of the box at one side of the first-named passage, a ledge at theside of the hex Opposite the first-named In testimony whereof I havesigned my pocket guide-walls leading to the measurer, name to thisspecification in the presence of and a third pocket opposite the outlet,said two subscribing witnesses.

third pocket being partly formed by a Wall, MARTIN EVERHART. such as thewall m which acts to divide the Witnesses: seed overflowing from themeasurer and the W. T. CARLYLE,

seed which is measured therein. JAMES M. ALEXANDER.

